Exploring Global Environmental Engagement: The Role of Willingness and Membership in Environmental Action

Data Availability Statement: The present study uses secondary data from the publicly available WVS dataset (https://www.worldvaluessurvey.org, accessed on 14 November 2024).This study explores the role of willingness and membership in global environmental engagement, focusing on how these factors influence environmental action across diverse global populations. Using a combination of latent class analysis and logistic regression models, we examine the impact of the willingness to contribute financially, environmental membership, and trust in people, alongside demographic variables such as gender, age, and education level. Our findings highlight the significant role of environmental membership and the willingness to act in shaping behaviours, with gender and trust further influencing engagement patterns. This promotes the UN’s sustainable goals, primarily Climate Action. These insights contribute to understanding the drivers of environmental activism globally.This work was supported and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) (grant number IMSIU-DDRSP2502)

SPARC 2018 Internationalisation and collaboration : Salford postgraduate annual research conference book of abstracts

Welcome to the Book of Abstracts for the 2018 SPARC conference. This year we not only celebrate the work of our PGRs but also the launch of our Doctoral School, which makes this year’s conference extra special. Once again we have received a tremendous contribution from our postgraduate research community; with over 100 presenters, the conference truly showcases a vibrant PGR community at Salford. These abstracts provide a taster of the research strengths of their works, and provide delegates with a reference point for networking and initiating critical debate. With such wide-ranging topics being showcased, we encourage you to take up this great opportunity to engage with researchers working in different subject areas from your own. To meet global challenges, high impact research inevitably requires interdisciplinary collaboration. This is recognised by all major research funders. Therefore engaging with the work of others and forging collaborations across subject areas is an essential skill for the next generation of researchers

An Approach to Enhance the Solubility of an Atypical Antipsychotic Drug, Aripiprazole: Design, Characterization, and Evaluation of Arabinoxylan-Based Nanoparticles

Mehwish Sikander,1 Ume Ruqia Tulain,1 Nadia Shamshad Malik,2 Arshad Mahmood,3,4 Mohammed S Alqahtani,5 Alia Erum,1 Muhammad Tariq Khan2,6 1Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan; 2Faculty of Pharmacy, Capital University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan; 3Faculty of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi Campus, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 4AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center (HBRC) Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 5Nanobiotechnology Unit, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, PakistanCorrespondence: Ume Ruqia Tulain, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan, Tel +00923316668588, Email [email protected]: Natural polymers have emerged as versatile and sustainable alternatives to synthetic polymers in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. This study focuses on the extraction of arabinoxylan (AX) from maize husk and its potential as a promising excipient to enhance the solubility and oral bioavailability of Aripiprazole (APZ), a poorly water-soluble antipsychotic drug, offering a robust strategy for overcoming challenges associated with hydrophobic drugs.Methods: APZ-loaded AX nanoparticles were synthesized using the ionotropic gelation technique. The formulation with the highest encapsulation efficiency designated as FN4 was selected for detailed characterization. Various analytical techniques, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), were employed to assess the morphological, crystalline, and thermal properties of the nanoparticles. In vitro release studies were conducted on both simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) to evaluate drug dissolution behaviour. The everted sac method was utilized to assess the permeation and transport of APZ from the AX-based nanoparticles.Results: The FN4 formulation exhibited an encapsulation efficiency of 88.9% ± 1.77%, with a particle size of 284.4 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.346, and a zeta potential of 20.7 mV. SEM analysis revealed a uniform distribution of polyhedral-shaped nanoparticles. XRD and DSC analyses indicated that APZ was in an amorphous state within the nanoparticles. Drug release was more pronounced at pH 6.8, with the AX nanoparticles showing sustained release. The everted sac method demonstrated enhanced permeation of APZ across intestinal membranes, supporting the potential of AX nanoparticles in improving drug absorption.Discussion: The AX-based nanoparticle formulation significantly improved the solubility, pH-dependent release profile, and sustained release of APZ, offering a promising strategy to enhance the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. These findings suggest that AX nanoparticles could serve as an effective delivery system for enhancing the therapeutic potential of hydrophobic drugs like APZ.Keywords: arabinoxylan, aripiprazole, nanoparticles, bioavailability, solubilit

Multiple Long-Term Conditions and Disability are Independently Associated with Higher Risk of Fall Among Community Adults: a Cross-Sectional Study

Aqeel M Alenazi,1 Norah A Alhwoaimel,1 Bader A Alqahtani,1 Mohammed M Alshehri,2 Ahmed S Alhowimel,1 Kamlesh Khunti,3 Mohammed S Alghamdi4 1Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Physical Therapy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia; 3Diabetes Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester General Hospital, Gwendolen Road, Leicester, UK; 4Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Aqeel M Alenazi, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alt-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966115886354, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Previous studies have suggested an association between falls and the presence of Multiple Long-Term Conditions (MLTC) or disabilities. However, there is limited understanding of how these factors independently or collectively contribute to the risk of falls and fear of falling among community-dwelling adults.Objective: This study examined the independent association between MLTC and the presence of disability with the risk of falls among community adults.Methods: A cross-sectional study included 324 adults (age ≥ 50). Demographic and clinical data included age, sex, body mass index (BMI), MLTC (≥ two chronic diseases) risk of fall (ie, history of fall in the previous 12-months, number of falls, and recurrent falls). The Barthel Index and Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) were used to assess disability and fear of fall, respectively.Results: MLTC (Odds Ratio (OR) 2.50, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) [1.26, 4.95], p=0.009), and disability (OR 1.71, 95% CI [1.04, 2.79], p = 0.034) were independently associated with history of falls. MLTC (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) 2.87, 95% CI [1.93, 4.29], p < 0.001) and disability (IRR 1.86 95% CI [1.46, 2.36], p < 0.001) were independently associated with an increased number of falls. MLTC (OR 4.50, 95% CI [1.78, 11.36], p = 0.001) and disability (OR 2.82, 95% CI [1.58, 5.05], p < 0.001) were independently associated with recurrent falls. MLTC (B = 6.45, p < 0.001) and disability (B = 3.05, p = 0.025) were independently associated with increased fear of falling.Conclusion: This study indicated that both MLTC and disability are independently associated with falls, number of falls and fear of falling in this population.Keywords: falling, disabilities, impairments, functional limitations, multiple chronic diseases, multimorbidity, Saud

Laparoscopy in management of appendicitis in high-, middle-, and low-income countries: a multicenter, prospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency worldwide. Differences between high- and low-income settings in the availability of laparoscopic appendectomy, alternative management choices, and outcomes are poorly described. The aim was to identify variation in surgical management and outcomes of appendicitis within low-, middle-, and high-Human Development Index (HDI) countries worldwide. METHODS: This is a multicenter, international prospective cohort study. Consecutive sampling of patients undergoing emergency appendectomy over 6 months was conducted. Follow-up lasted 30 days. RESULTS: 4546 patients from 52 countries underwent appendectomy (2499 high-, 1540 middle-, and 507 low-HDI groups). Surgical site infection (SSI) rates were higher in low-HDI (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.33-4.99, p = 0.005) but not middle-HDI countries (OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.76-2.52, p = 0.291), compared with high-HDI countries after adjustment. A laparoscopic approach was common in high-HDI countries (1693/2499, 67.7%), but infrequent in low-HDI (41/507, 8.1%) and middle-HDI (132/1540, 8.6%) groups. After accounting for case-mix, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.42-0.71, p < 0.001) and SSIs (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.14-0.33, p < 0.001). In propensity-score matched groups within low-/middle-HDI countries, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.23 95% CI 0.11-0.44) and SSI (OR 0.21 95% CI 0.09-0.45). CONCLUSION: A laparoscopic approach is associated with better outcomes and availability appears to differ by country HDI. Despite the profound clinical, operational, and financial barriers to its widespread introduction, laparoscopy could significantly improve outcomes for patients in low-resource environments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02179112

Challenges and Considerations in Assessing GERD: A Critical Review of a Study in Southern Punjab, Pakistan [Response to Letter]

Muhammad Fawad Rasool,1 Rimsha Sarwar,1 Muhammad Subhan Arshad,1,2 Imran Imran,3 Hamid Saeed,4 Abdul Majeed,1 Muqarrab Akbar,5 Muhammad Omer Chaudhry,6 Anees Ur Rehman,1 Waseem Ashraf,3 Tanveer Ahmad,7 Waleed Badoghaish,8 Faleh Alqahtani9 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan; 2Department of Pharmacy, Southern Punjab Institute of Health Sciences, Multan, 60000, Pakistan; 3Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan; 4University College of Pharmacy, Allama Iqbal Campus, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan; 5Department of Political Science, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan; 6School of Economics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan; 7Institute for Advanced Biosciences (Iab), CNRS UMR5309, INSERM U1209, Grenoble Alpes University, La Tronche, 38700, France; 8Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, 71411, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Muhammad Fawad Rasool; Faleh Alqahtani, Email [email protected]; [email protected]

Comorbidities and Risk Factors for Severe Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Purpose: The first novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) case in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was reported in Qatif in March 2020 with continual increase in infection and mortality rates since then. In this study, we aim to determine risk factors which effect severity and mortality rates in a cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in KSA. Method: We reviewed medical records of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 positive results via reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) tests at Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, Riyadh between May and August 2020. Data were obtained for patient’s demography, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidities. Additional data on patients that required intensive care unit (ICU) admission and clinical outcomes were recorded and analyzed with Python Pandas. Results: A total of 565 COVID-19 positive patients were inducted in the study out of which, 63 (11.1%) patients died while 101 (17.9%) patients required ICU admission. Disease incidences were significantly higher in males and non-Saudi nationals. Patients with cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal diseases displayed significantly higher association with ICU admissions (p&lt; 0.001) while mortality rates were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular, respiratory, renal and neurological diseases. Univariate cox proportional hazards regression model showed that COVID-19 positive patients requiring ICU admission [Hazard’s ratio, HR=4.2 95% confidence interval, CI 2.5– 7.2); p&lt; 0.001] with preexisting cardiovascular [HR=4.1 (CI 2.5– 6.7); p&lt; 0.001] or respiratory [HR=4.0 (CI 2.0– 8.1); p=0.010] diseases were at significantly higher risk for mortality among the positive patients. There were no significant differences in mortality rates or ICU admissions among males and females, and across different age groups, BMIs and nationalities. Hospitalized patients with cardiovascular comorbidity had the highest risk of death (HR=2.9, CI 1.7– 5.0; p=0.020). Conclusion: Independent risk factors for critical outcomes among COVID-19 in KSA include cardiovascular, respiratory and renal comorbidities

Diagnostic implications of pitfalls in causal variant identification based on 4577 molecularly characterized families

Despite large sequencing and data sharing efforts, previously characterized pathogenic variants only account for a fraction of Mendelian disease patients, which highlights the need for accurate identification and interpretation of novel variants. In a large Mendelian cohort of 4577 molecularly characterized families, numerous scenarios in which variant identification and interpretation can be challenging are encountered. We describe categories of challenges that cover the phenotype (e.g. novel allelic disorders), pedigree structure (e.g. imprinting disorders masquerading as autosomal recessive phenotypes), positional mapping (e.g. double recombination events abrogating candidate autozygous intervals), gene (e.g. novel gene-disease assertion) and variant (e.g. complex compound inheritance). Overall, we estimate a probability of 34.3% for encountering at least one of these challenges. Importantly, our data show that by only addressing non-sequencing-based challenges, around 71% increase in the diagnostic yield can be expected. Indeed, by applying these lessons to a cohort of 314 cases with negative clinical exome or genome reports, we could identify the likely causal variant in 54.5%. Our work highlights the need to have a thorough approach to undiagnosed diseases by considering a wide range of challenges rather than a narrow focus on sequencing technologies. It is hoped that by sharing this experience, the yield of undiagnosed disease programs globally can be improved

Global, regional, and national prevalence of child and adolescent overweight and obesity, 1990–2021, with forecasts to 2050: a forecasting study for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND: Despite the well documented consequences of obesity during childhood and adolescence and future risks of excess body mass on non-communicable diseases in adulthood, coordinated global action on excess body mass in early life is still insufficient. Inconsistent measurement and reporting are a barrier to specific targets, resource allocation, and interventions. In this Article we report current estimates of overweight and obesity across childhood and adolescence, progress over time, and forecasts to inform specific actions. METHODS: Using established methodology from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021, we modelled overweight and obesity across childhood and adolescence from 1990 to 2021, and then forecasted to 2050. Primary data for our models included 1321 unique measured and self-reported anthropometric data sources from 180 countries and territories from survey microdata, reports, and published literature. These data were used to estimate age-standardised global, regional, and national overweight prevalence and obesity prevalence (separately) for children and young adolescents (aged 5–14 years, typically in school and cared for by child health services) and older adolescents (aged 15–24 years, increasingly out of school and cared for by adult services) by sex for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. Prevalence estimates from 1990 to 2021 were generated using spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression models, which leveraged temporal and spatial correlation in epidemiological trends to ensure comparability of results across time and geography. Prevalence forecasts from 2022 to 2050 were generated using a generalised ensemble modelling approach assuming continuation of current trends. For every age-sex-location population across time (1990–2050), we estimated obesity (vs overweight) predominance using the log ratio of obesity percentage to overweight percentage. FINDINGS: Using established methodology from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021, we modelled overweight and obesity across childhood and adolescence from 1990 to 2021, and then forecasted to 2050. Primary data for our models included 1321 unique measured and self-reported anthropometric data sources from 180 countries and territories from survey microdata, reports, and published literature. These data were used to estimate age-standardised global, regional, and national overweight prevalence and obesity prevalence (separately) for children and young adolescents (aged 5–14 years, typically in school and cared for by child health services) and older adolescents (aged 15–24 years, increasingly out of school and cared for by adult services) by sex for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. Prevalence estimates from 1990 to 2021 were generated using spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression models, which leveraged temporal and spatial correlation in epidemiological trends to ensure comparability of results across time and geography. Prevalence forecasts from 2022 to 2050 were generated using a generalised ensemble modelling approach assuming continuation of current trends. For every age-sex-location population across time (1990–2050), we estimated obesity (vs overweight) predominance using the log ratio of obesity percentage to overweight percentage. INTERPRETATION: Both overweight and obesity increased substantially in every world region between 1990 and 2021, suggesting that current approaches to curbing increases in overweight and obesity have failed a generation of children and adolescents. Beyond 2021, overweight during childhood and adolescence is forecast to stabilise due to further increases in the population who have obesity. Increases in obesity are expected to continue for all populations in all world regions. Because substantial change is forecasted to occur between 2022 and 2030, immediate actions are needed to address this public health crisis